No More City Subsidies

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

February 23, 1996

WHY IS there no outrage being exhibited by the public in regard to Pinkie Lee's mishandling of public funds? Here we have a company that was subsidized to the tune of $1.5 million by the city of Orlando, and yet it can't pay its federal payroll taxes.

As a business owner in Orlando, I am outraged that the city would subsidize a small business such as Pinkie Lee's and try to collect large impact fees from new businesses that have the capability of creating new jobs in the city. By collecting these fees the city is prohibiting some small businesses from opening and yet pays Pinkie Lee's to locate in an area that would be a terrible location no matter how much money were pumped into it.

It was a bad idea from the start and certainly was a poor use of public funds, considering the alternative of putting the money to work to help rejuvenate needy neighborhoods instead. Think what Project Outreach could have done with $1.5 million. Government should not be involved in subsidizing small business but should instead be providing support through improvement of physical services in the community. This would promote development of businesses in the area and, in turn, create jobs and add tax dollars to the community.